September 14, 2025
From the best team in baseball to a 33-50 record since June 13, the New York Mets are on the verge of missing the playoffs. Amid the collapse, one problem has been evident for the club: pitching.
The Mets’ starting rotation has nearly doubled its earned-run average since June 12, going from a league-leading 2.79 ERA to a sixth-worst 5.09 ERA. With starters Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga suffering from a combined 13.89 ERA in August, the Mets have had to engage their top pitching prospects to keep the team afloat.
A seemingly blasphemous idea — three rookies in their rotation — has turned out to be the missing piece of the puzzle. The three newbies, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, have helped the Mets win meaningful games when they need it most.
The first of the call-ups began with No. 3 Mets prospect McLean, ranked 37th overall. Following an early-season promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, the 24-year-old produced a 2.76 ERA over 16 appearances before being called up to the majors on August 13.
McLean is 4-1 with a 1.19 ERA in six starts, allowing one home run in 37⅓ innings. If the Mets make the playoffs, McLean is the starter they should want out there in Game 1.
Less than two weeks later, the Mets dipped into their prospect bank again by calling up No. 4 prospect Tong, ranked No. 44 overall. Tong, the Minor League strikeout and ERA leader, was promoted on August 27, just two weeks after he reached Triple-A Syracuse for the first time.
The 22-year-old has had some growing pains since being recalled, including a rough outing against the Texas Rangers, but has bounced back with eight strikeouts in five innings.
The last of the Mets’ big three pitching prospects, Sproat, was called up on September 4. The No. 5 prospect entered the year ranked No. 46 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list following an impressive first professional season.
Sproat struggled in Triple-A with a 6.02 ERA through May 31. From June 28 through the end of July, the 25-year-old bounced back with an undefeated record and 0.55 ERA in six starts.
In his debut, Sproat allowed three runs in six innings. His most recent start featured six scoreless innings and three strikeouts, sporting a 2.25 ERA.
The trio have now combined to throw 17 straight scoreless innings. While they won’t solve all of the Mets’ problems, they are certainly a promising glimpse into the future as the team looks to bolster its postseason roster.
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